Pressure seal for flange connection



1 Jane 24, P. T. PUTNAM Er AL PRESSURE SEAL FOR FLANGE CONNECTION FiledAug. 21, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l LILIE L IL u H PAUL .PUTNAM MAD TWORKfi.

BY mVVNTORfi Wm/3m A TTOIRNE Y5.

June 24, 1941. PUTNAM ETAL 2,246,600

PRESSURE SEAL FOR FLANGE CONNECTION Filed Aug. 21, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2I5 \ZZ FAULT. PUTNAM NADDENTWORKS.

1NV;E1VTOR5 BY J H HOME/H3. Ufa/1k A TTORNE V5.

Patented June 24, 1941 PRESSURE SEAL FOR FLANGE CONNECTION Paul T.Putnam and Madden T. Works, Houston, Tex., assignors to Cameron IronWorks, a corporation Application August 21, 1939, Serial No. 291,144

3 Claims.

The invention relates to a pressure seal for flanged connections orabutting members where a seal is to be maintained against an internalpressure.

In connections of the type to which the invention relates it is notuncommon that the equipment has to be changed, stored and handled andthe contacting surface which are to form the seal may become damaged ormarred in such a way that a perfect seal can not be maintained when theparts are assembled. This is particularly true in connection with heavyvalves and fittings which are used in the oil industry where thesefittings have to be handled continuously in being moved from onelocation to another.

It is one of the objects of the invention to provide a connection'forpipes wherein a seal ring is maintained under pressure of a lubricant orplastic packing to insurea perfect seal.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lubricant or plasticpacking under pressure hehind a seal ring in flanged connections.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a packing to engagea seal ring wherein the packing is held in position by a lubricant orplastic packing under pressure.

Stillanother object of the invention is to provide a seal ring wherein alubricant may be applied to the ring and flow through the ring so as toequalize the pressure on the opposed sealing surfaces.

Other and further objects of the invention will be readily apparent whenthe following description is considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a broken sectional view of a flanged connection to which theinvention has been applied.

Fig. 2 hows a slightly different form of the invention where a strippacking is -provided to abut against the seal ring.

Fig. 3 shows a form of the invention wherein the material under pressureis applied at one side of the ring and permitted to flow through thering so as to equalize the pressure on both sides.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the ring illustrating the mannerin which the liquid under pressure is applied to the ring.

In Fig. 1 a pair of pipe couplings or other pieces of equipment havebeen illustrated at 2 and 3. Each of these parts has a flange thereonand in Fig. 1 these flanges are identical. The lower flange 4 isarranged to be placed in alignment with the flange 5 so that thepassages 6 and 1 respectively are also in alignment.

Each of the flanges has an annular groove it) which may be of anydesired shape or configuration. Such groove provides a pair of opposedinclined seating faces II which are arranged to receive the seal ringl2. When the ring is seated as seen in Fig. 1 there will be four contactsurfaces, such as ll, two in the flange 4 and two in the flange 5.

In constructions of this sort the surfaces ll may become scarred ormarred in some manner due to handling of equipment. The ame is true ofthe ring l2 because the seating surfaces thereon may not be exactlyaccurate to engage the sealing faces ll so that when the flanges areassembled and clamped together with suitable bolts and other fasteningdevices there may not be a perfect seal entirely around the openings 6and I.

The present invention is therefore applied to this construction bydeepening the grooves l0 so as to form a reces l5 in the base of each ofthe grooves. This recess has been illustrated as of less width than thegrooved area so that the ring l2 may not move down into the recessedportion.

This reces extends entirely around the flange 4 and one, the righthandside of Fig. 1, is shown as having a passage l1 leading into the recess.This passage is in turn connected with an opening 18 in the flange whichis in the nature of a storage chamber. A check valve 20 may be screwedinto the outer end of the chamber l8, if desired, and a plug 2| is usedto close the opening in the flange beyond the check valve.

In order to assist in forming a seal between the ring l2 and the seatsII the plug 20 may be removed and any desired type of stick or plasticpacking or lubricant 22 may be injected into the chamber l8 underpressure by passing it through the check valve 20. This lubricant orplastic packing will flow into the chamber l8 through the passage l1 andaround the recess l5. In this manner any desired pressure may be appliedbehind the seal ring 12. In event there are any inaccuracies orimperfections in either the ring or the seat this packing or lubricantwill flow into these areas and tend to form a seal.

A perfect seal may be maintained by subjecting the lubricant or packingin the chamber I8 and recess l5 to at least the pressure which ispresent in the passages 6 and 1. If this is done it is obvious thatthere can be no leakage around the ring because the pressures will be'balanced. The chamber l8 serves as a storage chamber and in event thereis a reduction in pressure in the passages 6 and l the lubricant mayflow for- Wardly to compensate for leakage. The construction justdescribed is duplicated in the flange 5 in the Fig. 1 form of theinvention so that the same or a greater or less pressure may be appliedon both sides of the ring l2 and in both of the recesses l5.

In Fig. 2 a slightly different form of the invention has been shownwhich is the same as that just described except that a trip of packing30 has been positioned in the recess J5, which is slightly deeper thanthe recess of Fig. 1. The lubricant 22 is forced in behind this packingtrip 30 o as to urge the strip against the base of the ring l2. In thismanner a seal is maintained by the strip 30 but in event there is animperfection of substantial size the lubricant 22 can not escape due tothe provision of the strip packing 30.

Fig. 3 show a form of the invention which is the same as described inconnection with Fig. 1 except that a particular type of seal ring l2 hasbeen provided. Thi ring is seen in enlarged section in Fig. 4 and mayhave a plurality of holes 32 drilled or otherwise formed axially of thering. These holes are for the purpose of connecting the recesses l5 onopposite sides of the ring so that only one fitting for applying packingor lubricant i required. In this manner only one flange, as seen in Fig.3, need be formed with the chamber and fittings to apply the lubricantand the lubricant i permitted to flow into the opposite flange and toalso equalize the pressure on the opposite sides of the seal ring.

Broadly the invention contemplates a pressure packing for seal ringswherein a liquid under pressure is used to maintain a seal with thering.

What is claimed is:

1. A seal ring connection for pipe flanges including a recessed area ineach flange, a metal seal ring to fit said recesses, and mean to forcesealing fluid into the recesses behind said ring at a pressure in excessof the pipe pressure.

.2. A seal ring connection for pipe flanges inch; i ng a recessed areain each flange, a metal 'ing to fit saidreccsses, and means to forcenwlzzlg fluid into the recesses behind said ring at a pressure in excessof the pipe pressure and including a torage chamber in each flange.

3. In a eal ring connection for abutting members, a reces in eachmember, a seal ring to seat in said recesses of a configuration to leavea channel in the base of the recess behind the ring, a strip packing insaid channel abutting said ring, and means to force plastic packing orlubricant into the channel to seal said ring.

PAUL T. PUTNAM. MADDEN T. WORKS.

